Another great Taste Washington in the books. Thank you Kana Winery and Elegante for letting us pour for you. It was a great year to be both an attendee and worker due to a lower # of people thirsting for an easy drink and a greater # of people out to find the beauties of Washington state. The wineries had excellent wines and the food vendors equally good food. Although I did eat, it was the wine I was out find, and boy did I ever. Some must buys at great prices are, River Aerie Malbec and Sangiovese, Syncline was showing a Gruner Vetliner (excellent acidity), Robert Karl 2006 Claret, Kana 2005 Tempranillo, and as always Camaraderie had a star Cabernet Franc 2005. For the expensive big boys as always I found the Longshadows group to be outstanding and look for Saviah's Syrah Reserve bottling and Bunnell's single vineyard Syrahs. I am updating our home page www.ellensburgwineworks.com to reflect some of the treasures I found at Taste and will have many more of them in the store, shoot us an E-mail or give us a call we ship almost everywhere. For my usual epiphany I have to say I am shocked as to how many people I talk to out of the Pacific Northwest that have not discovered Washington wine and for you Cali files remember variety is the......

Twitter my Tweeter, Keeping wineos on their toes

So I guess I'm a Twitter or maybe just a twit. I don't think so this time, this seems like a great way to keep up with the in the moment thoughts of other wine lovers. At first I thought it sounded like people were just calling each other names by twitting and tweeting, but I have found that this is a great to communicate thoughts on all things wine and related. I guess I do want to hear what you are having for dinner and what wine you will try with it, or what your best buy was today, or may be even just how are feeling about wine right now! Anyway it seems that this is here to stay and new entry in the digital world of wine, so try it out after all variety is the....

Experience Micro Climates

Ok micro climates with out a doubt exist, and wine is the best way to find out what that means. I just had a great experience at Wine O'clock/Bunnell family cellars. I was lucky enough to show up at Bunnell the day after Harvey Steiman of Wine Spectator had requested to do some barrel samples from Ron's up coming wines and it was awesome. My point is I was able to taste samples of individual vineyards, blocks, and even clones of Syrah. This was the best example in, 13 years of wine experience, that I had to truly identify what a micro climate ( or terroir, look up the definition to help) does for a wine. At one point 6 different Syrahs were in front of me all from different vineyards throughout Eastern Washington, two from two specific clones from one vineyard and I could identify specific differences from each one. This was not only delicious but remarkable in the world of Washington wine and Gods great earth or the world of wine. It showed me how different a wine can be from each individual place. This is not a story for bragging rights, what I am telling you to do is go out and find at least three different Washington wines all from the same vintage, all the same varietal, all from single vineyards (ie Horse Heaven Hills, Crawford, Milbrandt.....) and if possible all from the same producer and open them all and taste them together. The one variable can be the all from the same producer that it VERY hard to do, but I can help you do this just contact me. I currently cary three of Bunnell's Syrahs. The experience will change your life or if nothing more your understanding of wine. Yes this time I had an epiphany, go out taste, try and enjoy after all variety is the...

Thank you Ron Bunnell and the wonderful world of Washington wine.
(This experiment can be done using other wine producing regions but I recommend Washington)

Woodward Canyon Walla Walla Cab. 2007

OK, so you can only find it at restaurants, but do find it. Last night I had a bottle of 2007 Woodward Canyon Walla Walla Cab. at the Yellow Church Cafe here in Ellensburg (sadly this time I had to share) and even as young as it is it drinks wonderfully. It showed some perplexing notes of what I would generally find in a WA syrah, such as, the mouth feel was thick and somewhat sweet and there was a distinct nose of cooled bacon fat. The pallet had a roller coaster effect that ended with a slow long finish of dark fruit and molasses. After much discussion and some argument I got what I will call a cooked rhubarb and black berry center pallet. Well enough of the eclectic tasting notes when all is said and done it was a real joy to drink. Look for it at wine oriented restaurants through out WA, but go soon because there was very little produced and soon this will just be a story of what you could have tried. Go forth and taste them all because as you know variety is the....

Mourvedre/Monastrell

Just a recent trend. Lately I have been selling a lot of Mourvedre (a Rhone varietal) and have been personally loving the varietal for quite some time. So go out and investigate this diverse grape both in blends and alone. I suggest trying a Monastrell from Jumilla Spain. yes I know I was talking about Mourvedre they are the same grape, names tend to change once you cross the Pyrenees Mt's , but anyway Monastrell from Jumilla are often a great buy and are more acidic and fruit forward than those found in France (white wine drinkers this is a great transition wine). The two I am currently drinking are $9.99 and $14.99 on the store shelf. Not quite an epiphany but give them a try, after all variety is the.....

Just Tasted Gard and 37 Cellars

Two new wineries to Washington that rock. If you haven't tried Gard Cellars 2006 or 2007 (just released today)Dry Riesling, DO! The words unctuous, luscious and layers come to mind. From the Lawrence Vineyard on the Royal slope this Riesling is grown at high elevations and has extremely low yields, creating a wine that reminds me of an Alsatian cru reserve. Excuse me while I finish my "taste".

Ok now for 37 Cellars. Out of Leavenworth they are a true example of focus only producing a Cab Sauv right now with two other varietals to come, but that's for a later date. The Cab was righteous and will go to my high end wine club this month. Schooled by Rob Newsom of Boudreaux Winery these guys have created a monster cab that expresses chocolate, vanilla and coffee... I know, dinner, now, OK! Like other WA cabs I don't think it will age forever, but that doesn't matter because after a taste you won't be able to hold it anyway. I think more WA start up wineries need to figure out that focus will bring success in early releases. Until my next epiphany keep sampling, variety is the.......

Wine Tasting in Ellensburg, Washington

What's there to do in Ellensburg, WA on a Friday night you ask? How about wine tasting?! At Ellensburg WineWorks we hold themed wine tasting every weekend, every month. This Friday, February 6th, we are going to taste the wines of Parejas Cellars. It is a chance to meet the winemaker and personally pick his brain about this up and coming winery. We will also have an artist reception for you to come meet our current artist, Ellensburg local, Crystal Smith. Her medium is graphite and colored pencil and her focus is western art. We will also have live music by local musician Luke Holtz.